Changing up the Offense

Why are you changing your old offense again?

Why is switching from one "2 RB offense" (the multiple I) to another "2 RB offense" (the Wing-T) considered by you and your staff to be necessary for "simplifying" the offense?

How are Wing-T players different from "I" players?

Coach, don't get me wrong...I'm not trying to be a wiseass...I just believe that the "I" and the "Wing-T" can be very much the same offense if you just adapt your current system rather than wholesale CHANGE your offense.

Why not adapt Wing-T principles and utilize them in your existing offense?

What is your current system? What are your base runs and passes? Let me know, maybe I can help...!

You're not a wiseass--my dad gave me the same speech.

It's not necessarily the formation we need to change, but the philosophy.

Why not the I? Here are a few reasons.
1. Finding a fullback that can block, carry the ball, and catch on PAPs has been difficult and I don't see that changing in the future.

2. Defense can more easily focus on one back. I love defending I teams.

3. We have struggled with misdirection in the I formation--I feel it is too easy to read as compared to Wing-T or option teams.

4. Blocking schemes. Wing-T blocking schemes require less straight ahead blocking than the I--even though many I power runs can be double teams/combo blocks.

5. In the I you need "that guy" to run the ball. In the Wing-T you can have 3 average guys to spread it out.


Our base has been Power, Blast, Counter and the playaction series off these runs. We also have included inside zone, stretch, toss, and trap.

Coach,

The reason I ask, is that we are an I-based team, and have been for a long time. We basically have 2 or 3 "modes" that we have gotten into depending on the types of personnel we have, but we have never changed our system up as a wholesale change. Rather, we have made slight adaptations to the existing system.

Let me give you some examples:

1. We go "straight at" people in years where we have the bigger, more powerful lines. We go "block down and kick out" when we have smaller, more athletic lines.

2. We do not always have a true "FB" either. Rather, we put our best 3 RB's on the field. We put our best runner at TB, we put our second best back (usually the tougher, better blocker, but not necessarily the 235 lb prototype) at FB. We put our third best back (usually what "I" teams would consider a "3rd down back" with decent hands and running ability) at the Z spot, and he plays as a WB about 60% of the time, so we are actually in "Wing-I"

3. We give our FB the ball at least 15 times per game. Our TB usually gets it about 20 times. Our Z gets it 5-10 times. We usually throw 10-15 times. So, we definitely spread the ball around.

4. We have plays designed into "series," so it's not just the stereotypical "I" stuff (Iso, Power, Toss, Counter Trey). We'll have a whole series off of the "Lead" play for example:
LEAD (TB PLAY)
LEAD COUNTER (TB PLAY)
LEAD REVERSE (Z PLAY)
LEAD TRAP (FB PLAY)

Our "BELLY SERIES" is based off the "double dive" play:
BELLY (FB IS FIRST BACK, TB IS SECOND BACK)
BELLY COUNTER (Z PLAY)
BELLY KEEPER (QB PLAY)
BELLY TOSS (TB PLAY)
BELLY TRAP (FB PLAY)

You can even run the speed sweep (motion sweep) series, if you offset your FB as the lead blocker:
FLY (Z PLAY)
FLY DIVE (FB PLAY)
FLY COUNTER (TB PLAY)


So, it's much more "Wing-T" in its design, but we do it without changing our offense.

In terms of "simplifying," the blocking is all modular. What I mean by that is that "Belly Trap" and "Lead Trap" are all the same play to the OL. Any of the "Counters" are all blocked the same. "Toss," "Fly," and "Keeper" are blocked exactly the same. "Dive," "Belly," and "Lead" are all pretty much man or IZ blocked, depending upon what front you see.

So really, you are only employing a few blocking schemes and a few backfield actions built into series. When you put it all together, you can do a lot with only a little.

Just thought I'd bounce that off of you, because we've had these debates in our coaching meetings, and I'm glad we've stuck with our core system throughout the years.

We are sorta going through the same thing right now. We have been a I/Power I team for the 3-5 years or so. We have lost our line and the opponents are going to be better this year. We are not convinved we can slam the ball right down your throat. We are a middle school and have run the crap out of lead, off tackle and toss sweep. Passing it has been hot pass, stick off PA and few other little twists.

We want to go to more series type footbal so it is harder to lock in on what we do. We will have a stud back at TB and want to take advantage of that. Are backfield choices have been veyr close to what Loch stated. Our 2 nd TB is our FB and the Powerback is more of a blocker. We went 11-0 last year doing it this way but we are alreayd feeling the pressure a little of doing it again.

Formations don't determine schemes, series and plays do. Formations don't determine blocking schemes, series and plays do.

As loch pointed out, you can run most of your Wing T series out of an I Formation. You also have the nice added advantage of an effective Iso, Counter Trey and Off Tackle power play.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, why can't those blocking rules apply to any offense you wish to install? Why are they only available in the wing-t? Why not adapt them to whatever other offense you are using (splitbacks, gun, I, etc.) rather than changing your offense?

An offense isn't like a frozen dinner, where you have it in a pre-made package and it comes with little side dishes and everything already determined. It's more like a meal at a restaurant where you get to choose what you want for side dishes, how you want it cooked, etc.

I've never understood people who think "well, we're an 'I' team, so we have to run Iso and Power and Toss all day and we need a huge gorilla at FB, etc, etc."

"I" is just an alignment for us, not an offense. We could (and DO) run our offense from splitbacks, wing-t looks, wishbone etc. They're just "looks" to us.

As coachcb said, your "backfield alignment" does not determine your offense. What you do upfront and how you design and sequence your rushing and passing game determines your "offense."

Don't get caught up in how to line up.